The Austin Police Department is dealing with the fallout of a former officer's resignation amid charges of assault and official oppression. Brian Yarger, who served as a sergeant with the APD for nearly 16 years, is accused of assaulting two individuals and faces three separate cases on related misdemeanor charges. According to CBS Austin, Yarger's decision to resign came "in lieu of termination and participation in a disciplinary hearing."
In the incident from July 2024, Yarger is charged with using excessive force during the arrests of Marcos Cardoza and his cousin Fidel Gonzalez. After declining to speak with Yarger, Cardoza was met with a series of aggressive maneuvers, including a leg-sweep take-down, a knee strike, and the use of a stun gun. Found in court records, as KXAN reports, Yarger asserted the use of his Taser on Gonzalez after the latter asked him to calm down, which escalated to an exchange of shouts and ended with Yarger deploying the Taser.
The Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT), which represents Yarger, emphasized the importance of due process. "CLEAT continues to represent Brian Yarger, as we would any one of our members, as they navigate the justice system as well as internal disciplinary procedures," a spokesperson told KXAN. "At times, our members must make difficult decisions for their future and this is one of those instances."
Moreover, Yarger faces a third case relating to his encounter with Shawn Allen Johnson, where court records claim Yarger shoved Johnson and hit him with a closed fist. In this case, however, a plea agreement has been proposed, as previously reported by KXAN. As part of the plea agreement, Yarger would surrender his peace officer license and accept a 12-month deferred adjudication. All cases are set to be reviewed in a plea hearing scheduled for June 17.
